Hood catch



March 13, 1934. R. MOORE 1,950,687

HOOD CATCH Filed Feb. 10, 1952 IN VEN TOR. P4 man/z) G. fiioaiea BYW MW.

A TTORNE).

Patented Mar. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES HOOD CATCH Application February 10, 1932, Serial No. 591,950

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in hood catches, particularly of the type having catch means interiorly and at each end of the hood, and which are adapted to be operated by a single exteriorly arranged operating handle disposed substantially centrally of the hood, the catch means being in the form of rock shafts adjacent the bottom of the hood and having their axes of rotation longitudinally of the hood, an

lo object of the invention being to provide handle means, which may be placed at any desired point vertically of the hood, and movement translating means between the handle and the rock shafts, through which the latter may be operated with facility and in a positive, efficient, and reliable manner. It is particularly proposed to provide movement translating means between the handle means and rock shaft means which may be of any desired length, depending upon the point at which it is desired to locate the handle, and which has universal joint connections, in the form of ball-and-socket joints in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, and through which a positive translation of movement is effected between the differentially movable parts.

A further object is to provide a hood catch which will compensate for irregularities in the mounting of the hood and keeper brackets, and which will automatically equalize the holding pressure of the plurality of catch means, sothat the hood will be held uniformly at all points. Another object is to provide a plurality of differentially movable catch elements, and equalizing coupling means which will compensate for irregularities that may exist between said elements. A still further object is to provide a hood catch which will effectually hold the hood downwardly and inwardly,

With the above and other objects in view an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, and this embodiment will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a horizontal sectional view through the hood and frame and showing the catch in plan, the same being in its operative position, intermediate portions of the hood and rock-shafts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is an interior elevation showing the operative position of the catch, and indicating the inoperative position by dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail fragmentary view of modified construction.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, the automobile hood 10 is adapted to close in the usual manner against the lacings 11 and 12 of the radiator frame 13 and cowl portion 14 of the chassis.

Upon the inner face of the hood, and preferably at a central point between the hood ends and near the upper edge of the hood side, there is riveted or otherwise suitably secured a bracket plate 15 having a pressed up circular bearing boss 16 provided with a central aperture 17 in alignment with an aperture 18 in the hood. A shouldered cylindrical bearing bushing 19 is secured within the aperture 17 as by swaging over, as at 29, and projects into the aperture 18 in the hood, so that it is slightly outside of the hood surface to form a suitable bearing for the rotating operating handle, presently to be described. The boss is preferably dished, as at 21, in surrounding relation to the aperture 1'7.

The handle 22 is provided with a reduced diameter shank 23 which is journaled in the bushing 19, and at its inner end is provided with a threaded hole 24 and wedge shaped lugs 25-25 at each side thereof, and upon which a crank arm 26 is engaged, being provided for this purpose with a beveled edge rectangular opening 27, which engages the lugs with a tight wedge fit. A headed screw 28 is screwed into the threaded hole 24 and secures the crank arm in tight non-rotatable relation to the handle shaft 23, and at the same time retains the handle in the bearing.

The crank arm 27 is provided at one end with an inwardly projecting crank pin 29, and at its other end is extended beyond the circular bearing boss and bent toward the plate 15 to form a stop flange 30, which is adapted to abut a stop lug 31 struck up from the plate 15 to limit the movement of the crank lever to its inoperative position, as indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3, the height of the lug 31 being such that the pin end of the crank arm clears it.

The crank pin 29 has a universal joint connection with a movement translating arm 32, and for this purpose a ball sleeve 33 having an outer spherical surface is secured upon the pin by means of a set screw 34, and is engaged by a ball cup at the upper end of said arm, this cup consisting of a pair of shells 35 and 36, the shell 35 being formed integrally with the arm and having a circumferential flange 3'7 bent over upon a circumferential flange 38 formed on the shell 36 and securing the two shells-together about the ball sleeve 33. The shells 35 and 36 have flared openings 39 and 40, respectively, which clear the pin to a sufiicient extent to permit limited swinging of the arm about both horizontal and vertical axes, while at the same time the fit of the shells on the ball sleeve permits free rotation of the latter as the crank arm 26 is turned.

The arm 32 is preferably formed from sheet metal and is longitudinally ribbed, as at 41, to stiffen it.

The lower end of the arm 32 is of inverted T- shape, as at 42, and is provided with a pair of spherical sockets 43 and 44. These sockets are formed by pressing half portions from the arm itself while the other half portions are pressed from a plate 45 secured to the end portion of the arm by clamping lugs 46 formed on the plate and bent over upon the arm.

The sockets 43 and 44 are open at their outer ends and loosely engage bail-sleeves 4'7 and 48, rotatably and slidably mounted on the crank portions 49 and 50 of a pair of rock shafts 51 and 52 provided upon the interior of the hood near the lower edge thereof, these rock shafts being journaled near their inner ends contiguous to the crank portions 49 and 50 in bearing brackets 53 and 54 secured interiorly to the hood and near their outer ends in bearing brackets 55 and 56, also secured interiorly to the hood. The outer ends of the rock shafts are bent to provide U- shape offset crank ends 57 and 58, the offset of these crank ends being relatively greater than that of the crank ends 49 and 50, and also being angularly offset with respect to said crank ends 49 and 50.

The crank ends 57 and 58 of the respective rock shafts are adapted to engage angular keeper brackets 59 and 60, suitably mounted on the radiator frame and cowl, or upon any other convenient part of the chassis in proximity to the hood ends. These brackets are illustrated as formed of sheet metal and their engaging faces, which are preferably disposed at an angle of about 45, are respectively provided with pressed out rounded ribs 61 and 62 for engagement by the rounded crank ends, this arrangement providing positive firm engagement, irrespective of variations in the mounting and disposition of the parts.

The crank shafts are formed of a suitable spring metal so that the crank ends 57 and 58 may be sprung to a different angular relation to the crank ends 49 and 50 under the torsion and tensional effect of the rock shafts. As above pointed out the ball-sleeves 4'7 and 48 of the crank ends 49 and 50 loosely engage the sockets 43 and 44 of the arm 32, so that they not only rotate therein but have a differential movement as the arm is swung between its operative and inoperative positions.

The operation is as follows:

As shown by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3 the hood catch is in its inoperative or released position, the crank ends 57 and 58 in this case depending so that they clear the keeper brackets as the hood is closed against the lacings. As the handle 22 is turned to the operative position shown in full lines the arm 32 is swung to its upper position and rotates the crank shafts upwardly first bringing the crank ends 57 and 58 under and into engagement with the keeper brackets, whereupon they are sprung under tension as the movement of the handle is completed, in which position the crank pin is carried slightly beyond its high position, and the parts are thus yieldably held in operative position under the tension of the rock shafts.

In the event that any irregularities in the hood, or in the mounting of the keeper brackets, or in the independently formed rock-shafts, causes one of the crank ends to be engaged before the other the loose connection of the rockshaft with the arm 32 is such that tension will not be applied to this crank end until the other crank end engages its keeper bracket, whereupon tension will be applied equally to the two crank ends irrespective of such irregularity, and the hood will beheld with the same pressure at one end as at the other. The arm 32 thus functions as an equalizer between the two rock shafts.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modified construction in which the movement translating arm 32 is pivotally connected at 63 to the coupling member 42 as distinguished from the rigid connection employed in the first embodiment. With this arrangement the coupling member remains in a substantially horizontal position irrespective of the position of the arm 32 this being especially desirable where the crank arm 26 is confined to a movement of and where the arm 32 may stand at a relatively great angle in-its operative or inoperative position. It will be understood that the rock-shafts may be made to move any desired degree, irrespective of the degree of rotation of the crank arm, merely by changing the length of the operating crank portions 49 and 59, the throw of the rock-shafts being increased as said crank portions are decreased in length.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodiment of my invention, but it will be understood that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A hood catch actuator, for operating a plurality of independently movable structurally separate keeper engaging catch means, comprising manually operable actuating means rotatable about an axis transverse to the hood surface, and movement translating means between said actuating means and said catch means comprising a coupling portion between said catch means and a connecting portion rigidly connected to said coupling portion and connected to said actuating means, and whereby movement of said actuating means is adapted to impart movement to said catch means to move the latter into and out of keeper engaging operative relation.

2. A hood catch actuator, for operating a plurality of independently movable structurally separate keeper engaging catch means, comprising manually operable actuating means rotatable about an axis transverse to the hood surface, and movement translating means between said actuating means'and said catch means comprising a coupling portion between said catch means having a rotatable and rocking connection therewith, and a connecting portion rigidly connected to said actuating means, and whereby movement of said actuating means is adapted to impart movement to said catch means to move the latter into and out of keeper engaging operative relation.

3. A hood catch actuator, for operating a plurality of independently movable structurally separate keeper engaging catch means, comprising manually operable actuating means rotatable about an axis transverse to the hood surface, and

4. A hood catch actuator, for operating a plurality of independently movable structurally sep arate keeper engaging catch means, comprising manually operable actuating means rotatable about an axis transverse to the hood surface, and movement translating means between said actuating means and said catch means comprising a coupling portion between said catch means having a rotatable and rocking connection therewith, and a connecting portion rigidly connected to said coupling portion and rotatably and rockably connected to said actuating means, and whereby movement of said actuating means is adapted to impart movement to said catch means to move the latter into and out of keeper engaging operative relation.

5. A hood catch actuator, for operating a plurality of independently movable structurally separate keeper engaging catch means, comprising operating handle means rotatable about an axis transverse to the hood surface, a crank arm adapted to be operated by said handle means, and movement translating means between said crank arm and said catch means comprising a coupling portion between said catch means and an arm portion rigidly connected to said coupling portion and having connection with said crank arm, and whereby movement of said operating handle means and crank arm is adapted to impart movement to said catch means to move the latter into and out of keeper engaging operative relation.

6. A hood catch actuator, for operating a plurality of independently movable structurally separate keeper engaging catch means, comprising operating handle means rotatable about an axis transverse to the hood surface, a crank arm adapted to be operated by said handle means, and movement translating means between said crank arm and said catch means comprising a coupling portion between said catch means having a rotatable and rocking connection therewith and an arm portion rigidly connected to said coupling portion and having rotatable and rocking connection with said crank arm, and whereby movement of said operating handle means and crank arm is adapted to impart movement to said catch means to move the latter into and out of keeper engaging operative relation.

'7. A hood catch actuator, for operating a plurality of independently movable structurally separate keeper engaging rock-shaft means, comprising manually operable actuating means rotatable about an axis transverse to the hood surface, and movement translating means between said actuating means and said rock-shaft means comprising a coupling portion between said rock-shaft means and an arm portion rigidly connected to said coupling portion and having connection with said actuating means, and whereby movement of said actuating means is adapted to impart movement to said rock-shaft means tomove the latter into and out of keeper engaging operative relation.

8. A hood catch actuator, for operating a plurality of independently movable structurally separate resiliently yieldable keeper engaging rockshaft means, comprising manually operable actuating means rotatable about an axis transverse to the hood surface, and movement translating means between said actuating means and said rock-shaft means comprising a coupling portion between said rock-shaft means and an arm portion rigidly connected to said coupling portion and having connection with said actuating means, and whereby movement of said actuating means is adapted to impart movement to said rock-shaft means to move the latter into and out of keeper engaging operative relation.

9. A hood catch actuator, for operating a plu rality of independently movable structurally separate keeper engaging rock-shaft means having keeper engaging crank portions and operating crank portions, comprising manually operable actuating means rotatable about an axis transverse to the hood surface, and movement translating means between said actuating means and said rock-shaft means comprising a coupling portion connected between said operating crank portions of said rock-shaft means and an arm portion rigidly connected to said coupling portion and having connection with said actuating means, and whereby movement of said actuating means is adapted to impart movement to said rock-shaft means to move the latter into and out of operative relation with said keeper means.

10. A hood catch actuator, for operating a plurality of independently movable structurally separate keeper engaging catch means, comprising coupling means between said plurality of catch means, manually operable crank means rotatable about an axis transverse to the hood surface, and movement translating means between said crank means and said coupling means and whereby movement of said crank means is adapted to impart movement to said coupling means and catch means tomove the latter into and out of keep-er engaging operative relation.

11. A hood catch actuator, for operating a plurality of independently movable structurally separate keeper engaging catch means, comprising equalizing coupling means movably connected to said catch means, manually operable crank means rotatable about an axis transverse to the hood surface, and movement translating means between said crank means and said coupling means and whereby movement of said crank means is adapted to impart movement to said coupling means and catch means to move the latter into and out of keeper engaging operative relation.

12. A hood catch actuator, for operating a plurality or" independently movable structurally separate keeper engaging catch means, comprising equalizing coupling means movably connected to said catch means, manually operable crank means rotatable about an axis transverse to the hood surface, and movement translating means between said crank means and said coupling means having pivotal connection with the latter, and whereby movement of said crank means is adapted to impart movement to said coupling means and catch means to move the latter into and out of keeper engaging operative relation.

13. A hood catch actuator, for operating a plurality of independently movable structurally separate keeper engaging rock-shaft means having keeper engaging crank portions and operating crank portions, comprising equalizing coupling means movably connected to said operating crank portions, manually operable crank means rotatable about an axis transverse to the hood surface, and movement translating means between said crank means and said coupling means and whereby movement of said actuating means is adapted to impart movement to said rock-shaft means to move the latter into and out of keeper engaging operative relation.

RAYMOND G. MOORE. 

